Salver
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Overall: 1/2 × 11 in., 0.6 kg (1.3 × 27.9 cm, 1.3 lb.)
Classification
Metalwork-Silver
Culture
French, Marseilles (Aix Mint)
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Catherine D. Wentworth, 1948
Accession Number
48.187.332
Art Historical Context
This elegant silver salver, crafted Jean-Joseph Gira in 1729, the refined metalwork of early 18th-century France Hailing from Marseilles under the Aix Mint, this shallow tray—measuring just half an inch high and 11 inches across—was designed for serving drinks or confections in affluent households. Weighing a substantial 1.3 pounds, its weight underscores the quality of the silver, a precious material symbolizing wealth and sophistication during the Regency period leading into Louis XV's reign. Giraud's craftsmanship reflects the provincial excellence of French silversmithing, where pieces fr...